Human Impacts of our Nuclear System How are communities in the US How are downwinders affected by affected by the nuclear system? nuclear testing? ● Downwinders are individuals who were ● Studies since the 1930’s have shown a exposed to radiation from the clear link between deadly illnesses, such explosion of nuclear weapons tests. as cancers, and nuclear radiation. In the ● During nuclear tests, radioactive 1960s, numerous studies on Uranium materials are released and the wind miners in the US found increased carries the fallout hundreds of miles illnesses and deaths linked to exposure. away from the nuclear testing site ● A 1997 study estimated that testing from exposing people in the surrounding the Nevada Test Site could have led to areas to unsafe levels of radiation. 11,000 to 212,000 thyroid cancer cases ● Uranium miners were exposed to (only one type of cancer of the many dangerous levels of radiation. Many of caused by radiation exposure). these mines are still open and ● Another study found that just the New continue to release radiation into, Mexico Trinity Test likely caused up to mainly indigenous, communities. 1,000 cancer cases. ● Since the government did not adequately What is RECA? measure the levels of human radiation exposure or start counting certain cancer ● RECA, or the Radiation Exposure deaths as attributed to radiation Compensation Act, provides exposure until much after the initial compensation to approved individuals tests, we do not know the true impact of that have illnesses caused by nuclear these tests on downwinders, but it is weapons activities. likely higher than many studies suggest. ● However, RECA is inadequately scoped for the number of people impacted by nuclear weapons in the U.S. ● Many people who suffer from radiation exposure due to nuclear testing, mining, production, cleanup, and storage are not eligible, despite the obvious impacts on their health. How was the US Federal Government responsible? ● The government internally acknowledged the risks they were taking with human health and knew that people downwind of nuclear tests would be exposed to more radiation than what was considered safe, yet they continued to test. ● In 1984, a federal court ruled that the federal government had been neglectful in monitoring exposure (exactly why many studies do not accurately reflect the scope of the problem). How much funding has RECA provided? ● As of January 2021, RECA has paid $2.44 billion to 37,757 individuals. ● This is a fraction of the annual U.S. nuclear budget. ● The amount of compensation has not changed over the past 30 years, despite inflation. This means that “Downwinders”, as currently classified, don’t even receive enough funding for one round of chemotherapy. What does the future of RECA look like? ● RECA is set to expire in 2022 unless action is taken by congress. ● The most expansive RECA bill was introduced in 2019 and included extending RECA to 2045, expanding the downwinder eligibility areas, expanding uranium workers eligibility and increasing the amount of compensation. Take Action Now! ● Support the reintroduction of a RECA bill with language that extends and expands the program ● Sign up at BeyondtheBomb.org to be kept in the loop of actions you can take on RECA once it is reintroduced. ● Share downwinders’ stories and uplift the work they are doing. You can find a great list of organizations and activists at nuclear-voices.org.